Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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I had a new manifold back system made up for this on Wednesday. Really happy that its now silent as the stock exhaust when cruising on the motorways and just has a nice deep note when under acceleration AND has the added bonus of a larger exhaust diameter which has significantly improved engine breathing 
No pics at the moment as I've come to North Wales for the weekend and I've left my camera with the photos on in Swansea.
Here is a flyby tunnel run video instead though (1st mx5 past)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/vlgWMtcFrcQ
[Edited on 24-02-2012 by Rob E]
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Bet that guy shat himself in that Corsa or Scirocco of whatever it was. 'Ahhh shit, the hairdressers are coming to get me!!!'
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Especially with this on the back of a couple of them 
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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So, its been a while since I have made any kind of update to my project thread, mainly because I have had to concentrate on Uni studies. However, this was mx5 based which analysed how weight reduction effected the mx5 and then redesigning the lower front wishbone in an attempt to save weight. I'll post some photos up of the finished CAD model later.
Anyway....The car :baseballbat: It turns out it doesn't like me neglecting it all too much as I have barely had any time to do anything to her for the past couple of months  I came out to go to Uni one morning and there was no sign of electrical life. So, I checked the battery voltage with a multimeter, all good, checked the 12v source in the engine bay and there was nothing. Upon closer inspection I found this!
One negative earth terminal minus no wires!
So, a trip to Halfords, a new terminal and put it back together and she was good to go and idling a lot smoother which makes me think this had been on the way out for some time. It turns out that when I had my sills done, the battery was removed for a charge and when it was reinstalled the clamp wasn't tightened down which caused the wire to snap.
The O2 sensor also packed up on me which caused a few running issues. I sourced a new one locally for £80 and now she is good as new When I was recalibrating the new sensor, I also changed the voltage output to my gauge so now I have some easy to read figures with regards to that.
I've also bought these bad-boys to install when the megasquirt finally goes in, they aren't hugely bigger at 320cc but will give a little more head room when it comes to tuning. Big thanks to nmwisima for sorting me out with them!
I'm going to ultrasonically clean them before I leave uni too. The joys of getting on with your lecturers :whistle:
I have also taken the plunge and forked out for a manifold back custom system to be made by Longlife Exhausts in Swansea. I cannot rate these guys highly enough. They did an outstanding job! After they first installed the system, due to the strange angles the silenced de-cat pipe joins the rest of the system, it meant the system was catching the floor far too easily. I rang them up and they said it was no problem and just bring it back in and they will sort it free of charge. When I dropped it off I had a chat with them and decided to just do away with the silenced de-cat as it was just causing problems all the time and had developed a horrible rasp. I was a bit worried it was going to be louder but they have managed to retain the nice subtle note I asked for when the system was first developed. I can happily say it made no difference to the loudness emitted from the exhaust and is as quiet as a stock exhaust when cruising along the motorways and has a nice note when you open her up :goodjob: I've only got some filthy pictures for now, BUT fingers crossed I will get some nicer ones in the not too distant future.
Near identical style to the old one but much more suited to supercharged application with this being a straight through system and not baffled like my old one.
Also had some new rubber fitted just before the sills were done, some nice Falkens which I have been very impressed with
I'm also debating on weather to do away with the polished lip on my wheels. They are very very high maintenance and its been very hard trying to keep them looking nice! Any suggestions as to what I should do?
Thats about it for now, here is a couple of snaps from the last time I cleaned it. Thanks for reading
and the most unflattering picture ever of my girlfriend with my car
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Dan295
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Registered: 9th Oct 06
Location: London
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 your taking your injectors in to be cleaned? any chance you want to do mine for some sweaty cash?
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chris_uk
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Jul 03
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get some minilights
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Dan, just go and see Barry when he is in the workshop and ask him, he will let you do it for nawt!
Really dont want to ditch these rims tbh Chris, I am just tempted to have them sprayed silver again more than anything!
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Evening folks, time for another long overdue update. I've graduated, moved houses twice, swanned off on hoilday and started a new job since my last update so there is a fair bit to update!
First off I finally sorted my oil leak  It had been leaking for about 9 months before I finally managed to cure it properly.
All set up ready for some repairs thanks Mum and Dad for the useage of the drive!
Also did some maintenance on a friend MX5 Havard
How much stuff can you fit in an MX5?? Lots
For the first attempt saw me strip the front of the engine and replace the cambelt kit, waterpump and thermostat (packed up some weeks previous) along with a huge task of cleaning months worth of leaking oil from behind the cam cover. While it was all stripped down, the oil leak was deffinately from within the cambelt housing so both cam seals and crank seals where changed along with the rocker cover gasket too.
Before cleaning -
After cleaning -
When the car was rebuilt I jumped in it to take it for a test run but strangely I couldn't get the car in gear with the engine running. I had heard a strange tinny rattle coming from somewhere when I turned the engine over by hand so I suspected something had happened to the clutch....
Jacked up in the confinement of Mum and Dads garage this time ready to pull the box...
I was relieved at how easily the car came to pieces and after a few hours work on our backs the box was out and the culprit was found...
Box out
The culprit
So, that was a very pricey clutch kit added to the previous day's car parts
I rebuilt everything after the clean up and left the car idling on the drive for a good hour - so far so good and no oil leak I took it for a thrash down the back roads and there was a smell of oil in the air again I hoped this was just excess oil that I had missed during the clean up but it turned out I had not cured the leak I was seriously at the end of my tether with this car after this, and after I have spent so much money restoring, supercharging and maintaining it this past 18 months I was seriously considering cutting my losses but no! I plodded on!
I left a tray under the car after a long journey and I returned to find the tray looking like this....
I was not best pleased! This meant the only other place the leak was coming from was the oil pump, which as some of you may know that means taking the engine out to gain access!
So off we went to a borrowed workshop for the weekend. A huge thanks to my friend Brendan Parry of BP tuning for the use of his workshop and services during the engine out process! If anyone in the North Wales area needs some work doing then he is the man!
Engine out...
Leak found - it was the oil pump! At this point I should also give a shout to Craig at High Tech Performance in Treorchy for his help with diagnosing this problem.
While the pump was out I also removed the pressure relief valve and gave that a clean. My oil pressure had stopped moving as of late so it was worth doing while it was out.
Tempoary engine transplant - Who needs a supercharger!?
All rebuilt!
Oil leak finally cured and normal oil pressure variation has once again returned which made it all the more worth while.
Operation clean up months of oil leak of my parents drive....
In amongst all the above goings on I had my MOT which it failed It failed on a bottom ball joint and excessive corrosion on the main brake pipe and rear brake pipe. I had a look and they looked pretty rusty so I was preparing for lots of swearing when trying to replace the pipes! Luckily the pipes came off with ease and I didn't meet any siezed unions
Hand made brake pipe made from kunifer - looks straighter than OEM 
good for another 12 months
A couple of weeks ago I changed the oil in the diff and I was greeted with this stuck to the drain plug :S
Another thing to add to the list of things to do
On a more positive note I have found a bike carrier that will fit the MX5 and carry my bike!
So, now time for the interesting part, I've bought some more tuning goodies! Last week I picked up this little package from Fluke
A Jackson Racing charge cooler kit
This turned up in the post today too, a fuel pressure gauge
I'm just awaiting some fixings to arrive and then I can get all of the above installed and adjust my fuel pressure to keep my AFRs sweet. I will hopefully get it all fitted over the course of the weekend.
And the final thing - a bit of bad news really - I curbed my alloy :'( I have never been so gutted after how much the refurb cost me last summer. So if anyone can recommend somewhere that can restore it to its former glory around the Crewe/Cheshire area I would be most grateful.
But to end it on a more positive note, here is an art picture I took of her when I was experimenting with camera strobes
Thanks for reading!
[Edited on 26-09-2012 by Rob E]
[Edited on 26-09-2012 by Rob E]
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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What's the ally box/pipe thing?
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corsadonk
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Registered: 4th Jul 09
Location: Marlborough, Wiltshire
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The chargecooler looks nice. Top work.
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Rob E
Member
Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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A chargecooler Gary. A water/air intercooler. Its got its own water pump and radiator
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Cool stuff.
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SetH
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Registered: 15th Jul 01
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Excellent read, you have really put some hard work in this, awesome stuff 
Would be good to see a drive by video
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Thanks SetH, I do ask myself why I have ploughed so much money into it but even after 3 1/2 years of ownership it still puts a smile on my face when driven properly.
I'll try and get a drive by video at the weekend when I fit the chargecooler as I'm going to have to give her some to get it all set up right
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antnee
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Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
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Just read though the whole topic. Really good progress, what sort of figures do you think you will see when the charge cooler, injectors and MS is in?
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Rob E
Member
Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Thanks mate, once I have them all installed I would be pleased to hit the 180 bhp mark. I'm debating weather or not to upgrade the MS CPU to an MS2 CPU. The latest MS2firmware is much much better and you get a finer Volumetric Efficiency tables and spark tables to play with. But its about £120 for the upgrade so I may wait until after xmas
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
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Not helping me here Rob.
How much has it cost you?
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Rob E
Member
Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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How much has everything cost me? Or just the supercharger setup?
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
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All in, inc car.
I miss mine like you wouldn't believe but if I gave another, it needs more power!
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Well I highly recommend supercharging it! There is an interesting thread about a 1.6 with minimal mods and stand alone management that made a healthy 160bhp. Good read too, its a Roadster prepped for hill climbs. The addition of the charge cooler must have pushed it over the 6k mark now. I've got a spreadsheet documenting it all but don't have it to hand.
Well I got the Chargecooler installed today and OMG I wish I had considered and intercooler sooner, it makes an amazing difference to the power! I have also installed my fuel pressure gauge so I could adjust the fueling to compensate for the denser air.
Before
After
Supercharger is vastly quieter now too but I suspect that's down to the hard pipes instead of the old tract. Still screams at top end though!
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dewismotorsport
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Registered: 16th Feb 08
Location: Coventry & Poole
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Great project. Never really thought much for mx5's but then did two drift days with drift limits and have loved them since, I bet the charger transforms the car as they are a little lacking in power, would be a great little drift car now that
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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Cheers mate. its surprising how many people change their opinions of them after they have been out in them. 4 of my friends have bought an MX5 after coming for a spin
Anyhow, made a little video tonight just so show how well it pulls now (please excuse the terrible exhaust noise, that is booked in to be rectified on Friday). 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear. I cant wait to get the engine management installed and mapped now, it should unleash yet more power
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pow
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Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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God damn it I want to do that to mine, how much do ya recon?
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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How deep are your pockets mate? To go for the most basic of setups you would need -
The conversion kit with mounting brackets now cost £435.
Supercharger = Circa £300? (I picked mine up for £120 before everyone jumped on the band wagon)
BIPES timing controller - about £75 (only avalible 2nd hand now but pop up fairly regularly)
AFPR = £30
Innovate LC-1 Wideband kit - £165
Belt - £15
Pulleys for tensioner - £90
intake tract - If your serious about doing it you can have my old one for £30. You need two 63mm 90 degree silicone hoses and a piece of ally pipe
2nd throttle body - £15 from a breaker
2nd throttle cable - £10 and fabricate some brackets
Other bits of pipework - just rumamge around for scrap bits.
Exhaust heat shield - £85 (came from the states designed for the mx5)
That breakdown is based on my collection of bits and cost me £1070 to get it to a useable/driveable condition. I also did all the modifications to the mini supercharge myself and installed it all myself so if your not up to the challenge you may want to factor that in too. I know TRLane who make the brackets and manifolds now offer a drive in drive out service for a complete conversion but you will have to enquire to them about prices. Its 110% worth the money just for the increase grin factor though 
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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